Grinding machine for voltage regulator contacts



Aug. 29, 1961 J. R. BRANCH 2,997,817

GRINDING MACHINE FOR VOLTAGE REGULATOR CONTACTS Filed April 29, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. JAMES E. BRANCH ATTORNEYS J. R. BRANCH Aug. 29, 1961 GRINDING MACHINE FOR VOLTAGE REGULATOR CONTACTS Filed April 29, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JAMES B. BRANCH ATTOZNEYs J. R. BRANCH Aug. 29, 1961 GRINDING MACHINE FOR VOLTAGE REGULATOR CONTACTS Filed April 29. 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 :Fleb

re m INVENTOR. JAMES 12. BRANCH A TO NEYS:

United States Patent Filed Apr. 29, 1960, Ser. No. 25,660 7 Claims. (Cl. 51-125) The present invention relates to grinding machines generally, and in particular to a grinding machine for putting a new contact surface on contacts of an automotive voltage regulator.

In the servicing of automotive vehicles, frequently the automatic voltage regulators require that their points be smoothed and provided with new contacting surfaces. It has been the practice in the past to use a file to smooth and provide a new surface for the contacts. This has not been satisfactory and is considered by most mechanics to be an inetficient operation and wasteful of time and labor.

An object of the present invention is to provide a grinding machine for the contacts of voltage regulators used in automotive vehicles.

Another object of the present invention is toprovide a grinding machine for voltage regulator contacts which is simple in structure, one foolproof in operation, one which handles the contacts without removal of the contacts from the regulator body, and one which is commercially feasible.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a grinding machine for providing new contacting surfaces on the contacts of an automatic voltage regulator which is fast in operation, one which requires no skilled labor in its operation, and one which is highly effective in action.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become fully apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the machine according to the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the assembly shown in FIGURE 1, the dotted line showing indicating a voltage regulator in position to have one of its contacts ground,

FIGURE 3 is an end elevational view,

FIGURE 4 is a view on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 5 is an exploded isometric view of the holder portion of the machine, with one contact supported thereon,

FIGURE 6 is a view on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 7 is a view on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 7-7 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 8 is a view taken on the line 8-8 of FIG- URE 7, and

FIGURE 9 is an exploded isometric view of the holder shown in FIGURE 5, showing the other contact in position to be inserted in the holder.

Referring in detail to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts, the reference numeral 10 designates a base adapted to rest upon a table or other supporting surface.

A vertically disposed rotatable spindle 12 is supported from the base 10 in spaced relation of the base 10. A grinding wheel 14 is mounted on the lower end of the spindle 12. The spindle 12 is rotatably supported in a cylindrical housing 16 with suitable ball bearing assemblies as at 18 and 20 supporting the spindle 12. The housing 16 is supported on the free end of the short leg "ice 22 of an inverted L-shaped standard 24 having the free end of the long leg 26 thereof fixedly secured to the base 10.

A horizontally disposed support, in the form of an arm 28, is positioned between the spindle 12 and the base 10. Means connects the arm 28 to the base 10 for swinging movement about a vertical axis from a position beneath and adjacent the grinding wheel 14 to a position removed from beneath and adjacent the grinding wheel 14. This means includes a post 30 rising from the base 10 and located adjacent the spindle 12. A sleeve 32 is circumposed upon and rotatable about the post 30 and connects the arm 28 to the post 30 for such swinging movement.

Means is provided operatively connected to the post 30 and sleeve 32 for raising and lowering the support 28 relative to the grinding wheel 14. Specifically, this means consists in a cam element 34 having an upwardly sloping surface 36. The element 34 is housed within the sleeve 32 with the surface 36 uppermost. The element 34 is shown best in FIGURE 6 in its position resting upon the top of the post 30.

An actuator, in the form of a bolt 38, is mounted within the support 28 for rotation in clockwise and counterclockwise directions. One end portion of the bolt 38 is cut on a bevel, as at 40 in FIGURE 6, and the beveled end portion of the bolt 38 rests upon and engages the as shown in dotted lines at 46 in FIGURE 2, in position" for grinding of one of the contacts thereof. The holder 44 is shown best in FIGURES 5 and 9, and is arranged transversely of the arm 28 for movement of the holder 44 about the arm 28 as an axis.

The holder 44 includes a sleeve portion 48 of a size to slide freely upon the arm 28 and a first bar member 50 having one end fixedly secured as by welding or other means to the sleeve portion 48. The other end of the bar member 50 is provided with a slot 52 and a shallow groove 54 on each side of the slot 52. An inverted U-shaped clamp element 56 has the free ends of its legs secured to the sides of the bar member 50 and has its bight bridging the slot 52 and groove 54, as shown most clearly in FIGURE 5.

A securing bolt 58 is threadedly engaged in a bore provided in the bight of the element 56 and has its free end tapered, as shown most clearly in FIGURE 4, and

adapted to enter a hole provided in the top plate 60 of one contact support member 62 when swung away from the voltage regulator 46, as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 2.

In FIGURE 4 most of the voltage regulator 46 is broken away, only a small L-shaped portion of the frame remaining attached to the support member 62.

A contact 64 projects upwardly from the support member 62 and is positioned, as in FIGURE 4, adjacent the periphery of the wheel 14 when it is to be ground.

The groove 54 in the bar member 50 receives the heads of the rivets which secure the top plate 60 to the support member 62, the heads of the rivets not being shown.

The holder 44 also includes a second bar'member 66 projecting outwardly therefrom and carrying on its end a block 68 (FIGURE 9) having recesses 70 and 72 therein receiving the arms 74 and 76, respectively, of the other contact support member 78. The arm 74 has on 3 its free end the contact 80 which is received through a hole '82 provided in the block 68 when the support member 78 is positioned to have the end of the contact 80 ground to a new surface.

A bolt 84 is threaded through the bar member 66 into the block 68 and is disposed as to bear against the underside of the contact bearing arm 74, so as to press the contact 80 upwardly through the hole 82 when it is to be ground.

Spring means is provided operatively connected to the base 10 and to the arm 28 for biasing the arm toward the base. Specifically, this means consists in a coil spring 86.having one end hooked to a lug 88 depending from the arm 28 and having the other end hooked toanother lug 90 projecting upwardly from the base 10, as shown most clearly in FIGURES 3 and 6.

With reference to FIGURE a set screw 92 is threadably engaged in a threaded bore provided in the sleeve portion 48 of the holder 44 and is used to secure the holder 44 in either position in which the bar member 50 or the bar member 66 is uppermost.

On the side of the standard 24 remote from the short leg 22 is secured a motor 94 having a pulley 96 on its shaft 98. A belt 100 connects the pulley '96 with another pulley 102 on a driven shaft 104 which is arranged vertically and supported in a pump housing 106. The pump housing 106 is carried on one end of a bracket 108 21inch has the other end adjustably secured to the standard The pulley 102 is double and another belt 110 conuects the pulley 102 with a pulley 112 on the upper end of the spindle 12.

Conduit assemblies 114 and 116 connect the lower end of the pump housing 106 to the upper end of the housing 16 and the lower end of the housing 16 to the pump housing 106 intermediate the ends thereof, respectively, for the circulation of lubricating oil from the housing 106 to the housing 16, and back. The portion of the shaft 104 adjacent the lower end carries an impeller 118 which, when the shaft 104 rotates, drives the lubricating oil through the conduit 114 to the housing 16. i

In use, either the support member 62 or the support member 78 is mounted in the holder 44 and the holder 44 is positioned so as to bring either the contact 64 or the contact 80 in engagement with the periphery of the grinding wheel 14. The arm 28 is raised by turning the handle 42 on the bolt 38 which effects the engagement of the beveled end portion 40 of the bolt 38 with the sloping surface 36 and carries the arm 28 from the full line position of FIGURE 6 to the dotted line position.

When one contact is ground and the set screw 92 is loosened, then the holder 44 is rotated in a clockwise direction or the counterclockwise direction to bring the other contact into bearing engagement with the periphery of the grinding wheel 14.

This permits the polishing and the providing of new surfaces for the contacts of the voltage regulator without total dismantling of the regulator.

Although the invention has been described as being especially effective in the formation of a new contact surface on contacts of an automotive voltage regulator, it to be understood that it can be employed upon other type contacts which require new contact surfaces.

What is claimed is:

|1 In a grinding machine, a base adapted to rest upon a supporting surface, a vertically disposed rotatable spindle supported from said base in spaced relation above said base, a grinding wheel on the lower end of said spindle, a horizontally disposed support positioned between said spindle and said base, means connecting said support to said base for swinging movement about a vertical axis from a position beneath and adjacent said grinding wheel to a position removed from beneath and adjacent said grinding wheel, and means operatively connected to the first-named means and said support for 4 raising and lowering said support relative to said grinding wheel.

2. In a grinding machine, a base adapted to rest upon a supporting surface, a vertically disposed rotatable spindle supported from said base in spaced relation above said base, a grinding wheel on the lower end of said spindle, a horizontally disposed support positioned between said spindle and said base, means connecting said support to said base for swing movement about a vertical axis from a'position beneath and adjacent said grinding wheel to a position removed from beneath and adjacent said grinding wheel, means operatively connected to the first-named means and said support for raising and lowering said support relative to said grinding wheel, and spring means operatively connected to said support and said base biasing said support toward said base.

3. In a grinding machine, a base adapted to rest upon a supporting surface, a vertically disposed rotatable spindle supported from said base in spaced relation above said base, a grinding wheel on the lower end of said spindle, a post rising from said base and located adjacent said spindle, a horizontally-disposed support adjacent said post, means embodying a sleeve circumposed upon and rotatable about said post connecting said support to said post for swinging movement from a position beneath and adjacent to said grinding wheel to a position removed from beneath and adjacent to said grinding wheel, means operatively connected to said sleeve and post for raising and lowering said support relative to said grinding wheel, a holder adapted to support a voltage regulator in po sition for grinding a contact thereof and arranged transversely of said support intermediate the ends thereof, and means mounting said holder on said support for movement of said holder about said support as an axis.

4. In a grinding machine, a base adapted to rest upon a supporting surface, a vertically disposed rotatable spindle supported from said base in spaced relation above said base, a grinding wheel on the lower end of said spindle, a post rising from said base and located adjacent said spindle, a horizontally-disposed support adjacent said post, means embodying a sleeve circumposed upon and rotatable about said post connecting said support to said post for swinging movement from a position beneath and adjacent to said grinding wheel to a position removed from beneath and adjacent to said grinding wheel, means operatively connected to said sleeve and post for raising and lowering said support relative to said grinding wheel, said last-mentioned means including a cam element provided with an upwardly sloping surface housed within said sleeve and resting upon the top of said post, and an actuator mounted within said support for rotation in clockwise and counter-clockwise directions and having one end in resting engagement with said sloping surface, and having the other end exteriorly of said support, and hand-actuable means on the other end of said actuator for effecting the rotation of the latter, a holder adapted to support a voltage regulator in position for grinding of a contact thereof and arranged transversely of said support intermediate the ends thereof, and means mounting said holder on said support for movement of said holder about said support as an axis.

5. In a grinding machine, a base adapted to rest upon a supporting surface, a vertically disposed rotatable spindle supported from said base in spaced relation above said base, a grinding wheel on the lower end of said spindle, a post rising from said base and located adjacent said spindle, a horizontally-disposed support adjacent said post, means embodying a sleeve circumposed upon and rotatable about said post connecting said support to said post for swinging movement from a' position beneath and adjacent to said' grinding wheel to a position removed from beneath and adjacent to said grinding wheel, means operatively connected to said sleeve and post for raising and lowering said support relative to said grinding wheel, a holder adapted to support a voltage regulator in position tor grinding of a contact thereof and arranged transversely of said support intermediate the ends thereof, means mounting said holder in said support for movement of said holder about said support as an axis, and securing means carried by said holder and releasably engageable with said support for retaining said holder in an adjusted position on said support.

6. In a grinding machine, a base adapted to rest upon a supporting surface, a vertically disposed rotatable spindle supported from said base in spaced rotation above said base, a grinding wheel on the lower end of said spindle, a post rising from said base and located adjacent said spindle, a horizontally-disposed support adjacent said post, means embodying a sleeve circumposed upon and rotatable about said post connecting said support to said post for swinging movement from a position beneath and adjacent to said grinding wheel to a position removed from beneath and adjacent to said grinding wheel, means operatively connected to said sleeve and post for raising and lowering said support relative to said grinding wheel, said last-mentioned means including a cam element provided with an upwardly sloping surface housed within said sleeve and resting upon the top of said post, and an actuator mounted within said support for rotation in clockwise and counterclockwise directions and having one end in resting engagement with said sloping surface, and having the other end exteriorly of said support, and hand-actuable means on the other end of said actuator for effecting the rotation of the -latter, a holder adapted to support a voltage regulator in position for grinding of a contact thereof and arranged transversely of said support intermediate the ends thereof, means mounting said holder on said support for movement of said holder about said support as an axis, and securing means carried by said holder and releasably engageable with said support for retaining said holder in an adjusted position on said support.

7. In a grinding machine, a base adapted to rest upon a supporting surface, a vertically disposed rotatable spindle supported from said base in spaced relation above said base, a grinding wheel on the lower end of said spindle, a post rising from said base and located adjacent said spindle, a horizontally-disposed support adjacent said post, means embodying a sleeve circumposed upon and rotatable about said post connecting said support to said post for swinging movement from a position beneath and adjacent to said grinding wheel to a position removed from beneath and adjacent to said grinding Wheel, means operatively connected to said sleeve and post for raising and lowering said support relative to said grinding wheel, said last-mentioned means including a cam element provided with an upwardly sloping surface housed within said sleeve and resting upon the top of said post, and an actuator mounted Within said support for rotation in clockwise and counterclockwise directions and having one end in resting engagement with said sloping surface, and having the other end exteriorly of said support, and hand-actuable means on the other end of said actuator for effecting the rotation of the latter, a holder adapted to support a voltage regulator in position for grinding of a contact thereof and arranged transversely of said support intermediate the ends thereof, means mounting said holder on said support for movement of said holder about said support as an axis, securing means carried by said holder and releasably engageable with said support for retaining the holder in an adjusted position on said support, and spring means operatively connected to said support and said base biasing said support toward said base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,125,709 Bauer Aug. 2, 1938 2,353,131 Ford July 11, 1944 2,578,309 Kroczek Dec. 11, 1951 2,696,067 Leach Dec. 7, 1954 

